TANGLEDIt was just a dream
by Liz McCallus
Summary: Rapunzel and Eugene are living happily ever after...that is, until Eugene is called to fight in the deadliest battle in the kingdom.How many events can this cause?A whole freaking lot.Rated T for almost-use of knives.
1. Chapter 1

Note: I suddenly got the idea to click on a video in my bookmarks, and do a fan fiction based on it. I clicked on "Carrie Underwood-Just a Dream" so this is what came out of that. This was a one-shot. If this will be multi-chaptered, I have no idea. Review? Thanks! Love, Liz

~It was _just a dream_~

Sunlight filters through my bedroom window. Birds are chirping, the air is warm-it's a perfect morning. Of course, the fact that there's a major war going on in the kingdom makes it _slightly _less perfect. I roll over in my bed, expecting to see Eugene. But my bed's empty. Confused, I get up, get dressed, and head to the throne room, where I see my father, my mother, and a whole lot of palace guards. They all seem to be arguing. Eugene, in the center, looks ready to punch something.

"You can't do this! It's absurd!" Eugene yells, whirling around. My father sighs.

"Eugene, my boy, it's for the good of the kingdom. The good of the people." he says, and I can tell it hurts for him to say it. I barge in, not-so making an entrance.

"What's going on? What's good for the kingdom? _What's absurd?_" My voice rises, until I'm practically yelling.

"My dear Rapunzel, the war's taking many of our soldiers. We can barely fight." My father looks reluctant to continue.

"Yeah, I know. But what's that got to do with Eugene?" I walk over to my best friend, taking his hand, and he grabs on tightly. My father shares a knowing glance with my mother, and then continues, almost cautiously.

"Rapunzel….he's been called to the war."

That's the intro to it! I might upload more later, depending on one, time, two, laziness, and three, good reviews. This is brand-new, not beta'd, not edited, just a one-shot I wrote. Song that inspired this is below.

.com/watch?v=TqttXajMhQ0&feature=related


	2. Chapter 2

Tangled-It was just a dream CHAPT. 2

Note:Thank you guys SO MUCH for the the praise! It means the world to an author to get feedback. I work on my stuff whenever I have a second, so I'll be working for a good hour at least today. Chapter 2 is here!

Colors fill my wall as I take out my fears on my paints. I don't know what the heck I'm painting, it looks more like a blob than anything else. I'm lost in thought when I hear a tap on my studio door.

"What." I say, not-very-princessy-like.

"It's me." The voice outside is Eugene's. He opens the door, and instantly, I run to him, falling into his arms.

"I...how am I supposed to survive when you're gone?" I ask softly, still clutching Eugene.

"Rapunzel..." Eugene cups my chin and forces me to look up at him.

"You do realize you're looking at the former most-wanted in the kingdom, right?" He says, smirking. I laugh.

"Yeah, I do." I stand on my tip-toes and kiss Eugene, never wanting to let him go. When we break apart, he's smiling softly, like he loves me more than anything. Suddenly, the door opens harshly, and the head Palace Guard-Who I've learned to address as -storms in.

"Done saying good-bye, Rider?" he says impatiently, tapping his foot.

"Wait-you're leaving NOW?" I ask, surprised.

"Uh...heh-heh, let's just say that they need me as soon as possible." Seeing my expression, Eugene pulls me in for another hug.

"Oh, I'll be back in a few months, no need to fret." he says.

Somehow, I don't believe him.


	3. Chapter 3

TANGLED-It was _just a dream _CHAPTER 3

Note: That last chapter had MAJOR ERRORS. Flail D: because I never gave the name for the Palace Guard, his name is Bob Burley. I was doing this on my iPod, so I didn't notice when I didn't correct that. And now, I've found a DRAWING to help me write. Deviants ROCK! And yes, I do know it's boring, but it gets better-I promise. And when I promise something, I never, _ever _break that promise. Ever.

The fight's been going on for days. At night, flames from nearby lanterns shine in my room. I keep hoping one of those lanterns is Eugene's, and that he's on his way home. Every day, I don't want to get up and go to my lessons. But I do anyway.

"Rapunzel? Rapunzel!" My tutor, Marissa Byron, jolts me from my thoughts.

"Huh?" I shake my head, my thoughts hazy now.

"Sweetie, I know you miss Eugene, but we have _got _to get through these studies." she says, opening my algebra textbook. _Fantastic._

"Marissa, I'd love to do math….but…I want to learn about the war." I say, almost shocked when I say it. Marissa doesn't seem surprised.

"You know, I was thinking you were gonna ask that. If you would grab that world map right over there, we can get started!" Marissa's brown eyes shined as she pointed to my favorite map. I brought it over to her, and she looked at it carefully, and then pointed out Corona.

"Okay, so we're here. And the nearest kingdom, which is Levia, is here," Marissa points to a kingdom that looks about a mile away from ours. I nod my head, understanding.

"And see, their king wants to take over as many kingdoms as he can. He's already taken over here, here, and here." she points to three other locations, the names of them I don't know.

"So basically, they want to take over Corona?" I ask, balancing my chin in my hand.

"Yeah! Great job! That's all the time we have, but we can get together again tomorrow, okay?" Marissa winks at me and I run back to my room, grabbing books to study. I have an idea of how late I'm staying up tonight.


	4. Chapter 4

_Tangled-It was just a dream CHAPTER 4_

_Note: Hi again! I am so lucky to have friends of mine who are also writers! We went over some stuff at lunch, and I have some great things to put in the story! I did a very rough draft of this in my journal at school, so now basically I'm going in and editing that out. I just passed my EOG's-I got a 4 in reading! EEEEEE! Expect more later-I'm working as hard and fast as possible as I can! Oh, and if you want to submit art or songs that go along with the story, that would be a huge help to me. Thanks! Love, Liz_

_It's a bright, sunny day as Marissa and I are studying in the courtyard. We're going over ways to solve for x _when three of the Palace Guards ride up to us. One of them is on Max, and he doesn't look happy.

"Is there a problem?" I ask the guards, standing up.

"Princes….you see, with all the action in the war….we haven't been able to keep up with all of our men…" one of the guards says, almost as if he's trying not to make his point.

"Yes, I've learned about that. But please tell me what's wrong." I give them a stone-cold glare.

"Princess…It's Eugene. He's been missing-in-action for three days now." My stomach feels like it's just dropped a million feet. My heart stops for a second.

"What do you mean, he's been missing-in-action?" I ask, folding my arms. Eugene's a smart guy. He doesn't just go "missing".

"Well, we were counting heads for the King three days ago, and Eugene wasn't with us. We can't count him dead until we're sure, but he's as sure as heck missing." I clench my fists, my eyes darkening.

"Well we have to go _look _for him, right?" I ask, stepping forward. The guards don't flinch.

"Princess, here's the thing. If he's missing, then there's a good chance he's either been captured and held hostage, or he's dead." The guard says, plain and simple, as if it doesn't even matter.

"But we're still going to try, right?" I ask, getting a little of my composure back. I can't lose it here.

"Sorry, Princess, but we have bigger problems." The main guard turns and gallops away on Max, who looked pretty angry throughout the entire thing. My heart feels as if I've just entered a dream.

And it's most certainly not the good kind.


	5. Chapter 5

Note: I'm really pounding out this stuff. And let me tell you, you guys are lucky I have the time TO pound out this stuff. Now, since my plot has picked up, I've started to listen to Lady Antebellum-Need you Now, and I Run to You. Also Carrie's 'Just a Dream'. Those all help explain the plot as it starts to move I am so sorry about Chapter 4 duplicating, I can't seem to figure out how to make the duplicate go away!Just skip that Chapter is the Chapter 5.I'll work on 6 tomorrow-I'm way too beat to work more tonight, or everything'll start to be like crap.

It's actually a miracle I can sleep, with all that's on my mind. Images of Eugene swim in my brain, images of him laughing and smiling. I sit up and see the cloth he bought me in the town square. It seems like forever ago. I can't sleep, so I get up and walk to my window. It's a clear night. The sky's ebony-black, and it seems as deep as the ocean. It seems so peaceful-almost…too peaceful. _Oh, please. Nothing's going to happen to me, _I think dismissively.

Talk about thinking too soon.

My door suddenly opens, and two men run in. I jump at the sight, but then remember one of Eugene's "thief" lessons.

_Stay as still as possible. If you can, back into the shadows. Make no sudden movements. _I very slowly back into the wall, which is pitch black. The men enter the room, turning right and left looking for me. They progress through the room, turning things upside down as they look.

"Yo, Crusher, where is she?" one asks, and I think it's the eye patch one. The other looks up and glances around, his beady black eyes making me want to squirm so bad.

"Beats me Spike, les' look over 'der." Crusher pointed to my wall, and I started to panic. The men walked over, and before I could think, one of them had grabbed me.

"Hey, Crusher, I foun' 'er!" Spike yelled, and Crusher smiled evilly. They kept my hands behind my back and led me out of the room.

"Where are you two goons taking me?" I tried to fight their grasp, but they simply wrenched my shoulder and forced me to keep moving.

"We are takin' you where no-on', not even your little Daddy, can find you! Now shut up and _keep moving!_" Crusher pushed me forward with great force, and when I kept struggling, Spike simply shrugged. Before I knew it, my face hurt like heck.

And everything went black.


	6. Chapter 6

Note: I'm still in awe of how nice you guys are! I was looking at my story stats, and this has been read in freaking _Bulgaria_. That's the best thing ever! I hope you guys like it still-I try to have my friends at school preview it for me, so kudos and love to those people. I'm trying to work on some Hunger Games stuff, and that will be posted later. Shoot me a message on YouTube, as wqwalkthroughs. Love you guys so much! Love, Liz

I eventually come to my senses, only to find that Crusher and Spike had dumped me in what seemed to be a sack. Wonderful. Outside, I could hear only the noise of my captor's feet on gravel. I sigh inwardly-civilization! But Spike and Crusher don't stop here. They carry my in my sack for what seems like ages, before dumping me out in the middle of the woods. In front of us, there's a stone building that looks really depressing-no windows, no cheeryness, just a door. But I try to make it look like I'm unimpressed.

"_Really_? That's where you're taking me?" I say, irritated. The goons smirk, and Crusher says, "Don' 'ou worry, Princess. Once 'uo's in 'der, you won' be so confiden'!" They laugh and dump me inside, locking the door behind me. As my eyes adjust to the light, I can see that there's one window, and it looks about a hundred feet up. I'm judging my abilities and how long I could last when I hear a familiar voice, and my breath catches.

"Rapunzel?"

**A/N I know it's short, but if I went any further, the chapter would've been about three times as long. I'm working on typing this as fast as I can. Chapter 8 will be up as soon as it's done! **


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N Hi, guys! How was everyone's day? Mine was fantastic! We got to watch….take a guess…TANGLED at lunch! I was giddy the entire time and was smiling like a little kid at the lantern scene. And the tear scene. AND the Kingdom Dance scene. AND at the awards thing for the students today, I got the "Most Improved" award for Band! I zoned out and when he said my name, I was like, "Wait, did he just say my name?" and one of my friends is like, "YES!" so my day was good. I've been putting off publishing stuff for a while, so I'm getting down to business. I love you guys so much! -Liz**

"Eu…Eugene?" I turn around, hoping what my ears just heard is true. The room's dark, but not dark enough that I'm not relieved at what I see. Eugene, my best friend, my lover, my everything's standing there, scraped up and bruised up. I launch myself into his arms, crying.

"I-I thought I lost you forever." I choke out, burying my face in his shirt. Eugene gently removes me from where I'm hiding, and cups my chin.

"Now, 'Punzie, would I _really _let myself die in a war?" He says, smiling. I laugh, and it sounds breathy and faint.

"I just…love you so much, Eugene." I hug him tightly, and he hugs me back, his strong arms enveloping me. Then I remember, he's hurt.

"Oh no, what did they do to you?" I look him over, scanning his beautiful features for anything serious. Eugene just shrugs.

"Eh, various guns and weapons. But I'm pleased to say, no frying pans were involved." He says it like it doesn't hurt, but I can tell he's holding back lots of things.

"Here, come sit over here, I can see what's wrong," I gently lead him over to the wall and he sits down, and now I can see why he's grimacing. He's got a broken leg. I take off his boot, trying not to notice when his face twists in pain.

"How'd you break it?" I ask gently, but my face gives him a _you-better-tell-me-the-truth _look.

"Uh…heh-heh…let's just say I got into a little scrimmage with a guy who has a strong grip." He says. I smile gently, deciding what might fix it up. I lean down and kiss him, caressing his face gently. When we break apart, I kiss his forehead softly. Suddenly, Pascal emerges from somewhere in my dress. I gasp.

"Pascal! How'd you get in there?" The little chameleon just shrugs.

"Look, buddy, I need you to climb out the window and get help. Fast." Pascal wastes no time racing up the wall. When he's out, Eugene laughs.

"Well, wouldn't it be nice to have feet like his?"


	8. Chapter 8

Note: Hey guys-again! I'm trying SO SO HARD to pound out these chapters for you guys. And if you guys ever want to give me advice on my writing, feel free. I feel like the last chapter was a bit of a ramble, was it? Anyhoo, enjoy Chapter 8. And enjoy Eugene while he's here….

It feels like forever before we hear banging on the door. There's lots of noise from outside, and the head of the Palace Guards runs in.

"Princess!" He calls, looking around. I call him over.

"Over here!" I gesture wildly. He runs over, seeing Eugene.

"Rider, what the heck're you doing down there?" he asks, confused.

"Uh…I broke my leg…" Eugene says, almost unable to speak.

"How'd you do-" He's cut off by me.

"Look, I'm really glad you're here, but we have _got _to get him back to the castle." I let the guards pick Eugene up and place him on Max, who waits patiently. When he sees my terrified expression, he gives me a look that says, _I'll get him home_. I jump on a boring brown horse and we gallop off into the woods, Eugene fighting to stay on. When we reach the castle, he's rushed off to his chamber, where the doctors try to treat his leg. Hours later, after my parents try to keep me away as long as possible, I burst out of my room, running to his chambers. When I enter, I gasp. Eugene's leg is wrapped up in a heavy cast, and his face and arms are red and bruised. But he still smiles when he sees me.

"Hey, Blondie," he croaks out. I sit on his bed, gently taking his hand.

"Hey, there. Does it hurt?" I gesture to his leg. Eugene struggles to shrug.

"Eh, yeah, a little bit." I give him my best _oh, please _look, and his face switches to full-out in pain.

"It hurts like heck." Is all he can get out. I smile.

"I know how to make it all better," I say, leaning down and kissing him again. It's long and lingering and sweet, and it feels good. When we break apart, I brush his brown hair out of his eyes.

"You'll be okay. I promise."


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N Hi guys! Not much to say except THANKS FOR ALL THE REVIEWS! I woke up this morning to find more lovely comments! I love you guys so, so much! Here's Chapter 9-enjoy ****J -Liz**

My life is a blur of words, thoughts, and letters from family. It's been a week since I found Eugene, and he's been getting worse every day. Thoughts are swirling in my head one morning as I walk in the garden-I barely notice when a guard taps me on the shoulder. I whirl around.

"Sorry to bother you, Princess, but your father wishes to see you in the sitting room." The guard nods his head and walks away. I run as fast I can to the room, and when I enter, I stop dead in my tracks. My father and mother are in there, but what makes me confused is the rich-looking guy standing with them. He's wearing a red cape and…a crown. He walks over to me and kisses my hand.

"Pleased to finally meet you, Princess." he says, and there's a feeling in his voice that when he sees me, he sees enormous piles of money.

"Pleased to meet you, sir, but may I ask who you are?" I ask cautiously. No need to be friends with people you don't have to.

"Ah, my mistake. I'm Nathan Fitzherbert, prince of Inediro." He says, smiling. But I'm not so impressed.

"Um, mother, father, can I talk to you for _one _minute?" I ask, pulling them aside. I confront them.

"Who's _that_? And why's he here kissing my hand and flirting with me?" I hiss, gesturing wildly. My father clears his throat.

"Well, Rapunzel, when you're a princess, any prince has the right to court you." he says. I fold my arms.

"Uh, yeah, no kidding. But here's the thing…I already _have _a future husband!" I almost yell the last part.

"But the rule is that if your current suitor is not royal material, then any man who _is _royal material has the right to court you."

"Oh, and his last name is _FITZHERBERT!_ Which means, hello, that _he's Eugene's brother!_" I can't keep the utter anger out of my voice. My mother scowls.

"Eugene isn't royal, simply because he wasn't _raised _royal!" She says, then quickly realizes what she's said.

"Oh, so does that mean I'm not royal either? Because I sure as heck wasn't raised royally!

**A/N Ooooh, Rapunzel….burn! Working on more!**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N Good morning! I decided to write some before I go to town all day. I am so sorry about the Maximum Ride fanfiction having so many errors, I'll probably just delete it. When I typed it, I must've been editing it and forgot about it. Anyway, without further rambling, here's Chapter 10! Enjoy! Love, Liz.**

I leave the room swiftly, slamming the door behind me. I walk and walk until I end up at the library. I push open the doors and enter one of my favorite rooms. I do something that I love to do-score the shelves randomly and read the book I find with Eugene. I close my eyes and pick a book. It's worn-out and leathery in my hands. It feels as if it's barely put together. I open my eyes. What I see is enough to make my gasp softly.

_The Tales of Flynnagen Rider _is engraved in gold letters along the top. I open the book. The pages are crusty and yellow, as if nobody's read it for a long time. I take it in my hands and run to Eugene's chambers, where he's lying in bed. He sees me and smiles, making me forget about Prince Nathan and my mother's stinging remark.

"Hey there, Goldie. Whatcha got there?" He asks inquiringly.

"I got something for ya," I say, sitting on his bed gently. I push the book into his hands. He sees it and his amber eyes lighten a little bit.

"How did you find this?" He raises one eyebrow. I shrug.

"Uh, heh-heh, long story." I try not to go into my anger, but Eugene gives me a look that says _I know you way too well to see that nothing's wrong._ I sigh heavily.

"There's this idiot prince that's here and he wants to court me and his last name is Fitzherbert and Mother said that he was raised royally and since you weren't raised like that, you aren't royal and I said that I was as sure as heck not raised as royalty and oh, Eugene, it just _hurts!_" I say in one sentence, my words slurred with coming-on tears. Eugene welcomes me with open arms, and I fall into them, sobbing.

"Ssh, it's okay, 'Punz." he says, rubbing my back. He pulls me back gently and looks at me with a soft smile.

"So, how about we read that book?"

**A/N I know it's short, too, but when I write, my filmmaker's mind writes a scene, not a on Chapter 12 and some new stuff, too :)**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N Hi, guys! Here's the next chapter, because I love you all so much. I'm sorry it's delayed, but I have to be in the right mood to write this. Being bored makes it boring. Anyhooo, here it is! OH, and can we scratch the fact that Eugene's getting worse every day? 'Cause if that's the case, I can't do something I just realized I could do. -Liz**

The dining room's awkward and silent as Nathan, Mother, Father, Eugene, and I have dinner. The only sound for a little while is forks clanking on plates. Eugene looks about as uncomfortable as a guy whose girlfriend is the object of another dude's courting can be. Finally, Nathan attempts to make some conversation.

"So, your mother tells me you and Eugene had a little…" Nathan looks for the right word. "…adventure…together." I nod happily and turn to Eugene.

"Oh yes, we did! It's how we first met. You see, there were these lanterns that I wanted to see, and mo-Gothel wouldn't take me to see them. I really, really wanted to go, so when Eugene climbed my tower to escape the guards-" Nathan cuts me off.

"Why on Earth would Eugene be trying to escape the guards?" he asks with a glance at the former thief. Eugene chuckles.

"Better not ask." He says with a cheeky smile. Nathan raises one eyebrow, then turns to me. "Anyway, she also told me you like to paint." I nod again and start rambling on and on about how much I painted in my tower. But after a while, I start to notice that the boys are glaring at each other. Nathan's looking at Eugene with a more…_you-seem-like-you're-hiding-something _look, and Eugene's got his familiar _what, me?_ look. I try not to take too much notice, but I do slip my hand into Eugene's under the table. He entwines his fingers with mine, his hand warm and strong. I'm daydreaming about going on a trail ride with him and Max later when Nathan jolts me from my thoughts.

"But seriously, a _chameleon _friend? How the heck did _that _happen?" he seems disgusted by the idea that Pascal is my best friend-well, one of them. I give Nathan an angry-but-controlled look.

"Excuse me, but Pascal was pretty much my only source of fun for eighteen years. I was locked. In a tower. With _nothing _to do except paint and read and play guitar and cook and play with Pascal." I snap, and Nathan backs off of the question. But his next question is something I really don't like to hear.

"Rapunzel, since I'm here to _court _you, how about we go get dinner tomorrow night?"


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N The rain outside must've gotten to my brain, because it's mentioned in all of today's fics. Then again, I played in it and got soaking wet…yeah. I am SO SORRY about not updating-I've been having problems with the Document Uploader(I reached fifteen documents…)so I might be cutting the story in half by putting each chapter into two parts, and that way it's only six chapters. If you get a ton of NEW CHAPTER e-mails, that's why. I have to take down the HG fic to make room…sorry! Reviews are still loved, as are you guys ;) -Liz**

Rain pounds down outside the library window. The room is silent and awkward as Nathan and I play chess. We've been playing for an hour-which is an hour too long, because I want to get OUT of here. I make my move and Nathan makes his, then leans back in his chair and glances at me.

"So, Rapunzel, you've been…_where _for eighteen years?"

I bite my lip and try to cover up my surprise as I move my piece.

"What do you mean, _where_? I've been here, obviously." I say, looking up for a second. Nathan laughs lightly.

"Then please do explain how you met my pathetic excuse of a brother." He waves his hand, motioning for me to tell him. My eyebrows shoot up. My hand jerks away from the board.

"_Excuse _me?" I snap, folding my arms. Nathan shrugs.

"My brother's a pretty bad excuse for a 'thief'." at this point, I'm annoyed.

"Oh, really now? Then explain to me how he stole my crown." Nathan immediately bites back, "Dumb luck and a guard who was too stupid to turn around. That's how he got it." By now, I'm too busy thinking stinging comebacks to think of _smart _comebacks.

"Then explain to _me _how Eugene brought back the Lost Princess!" I snap, and quickly realize what I've said. Nathan laughs, his ice-blue eyes glinting in the low light.

"Oh my gosh. So _you _were that girl trapped in a tower for eighteen years!" He points at me and throws his head back in laughter.

"Yes, in fact, I was. And for your information, I learned _way _more in all those years than you could learn in a million years." I retort hotly.

"Yeah, you even learned that your 'mother' didn't love you and only wanted you for your hair." That's it. That's the last straw. I slam my fists on the table, get up, and run out of the room, slamming the door behind me. I can hear Nathan's muffled cries of "Princess! C'mon, I didn't mean it like that!" I stop and lean back against the wall, and the tears come.

Checkmate.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N Hi everyone! Not much to say except that number one, you SHOULD hate Nathan. Number two, REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! That is all…love you guys! -Liz**

My heart pounds in my chest as I fight to restrain myself from hitting something. The nerve of that Nathan! I can hear his boots clicking as he rushes through the halls, searching to find me. If he did find me…no. He wouldn't. I get up as swiftly as I dare, and tiptoe down the hall until I'm outside. Then, I sprint to my destination. I sigh in relief and walk down the aisle of the royal stables until I find Maximus. He nickers softly when he sees me. I take his face and stroke it gently.

"Max…I need to take me somewhere. Anywhere. Just away from here." I whisper, and jump on Max. He apparently knows where we should go, because he gallops a familiar route, and finally he stops running and trots. We slip through a vine wall, and the sight I see catches my breath.

It's…my tower.

My mind's hazy as I enter my old home. It's dusty and dark, but it's still my tower. I run my fingers gently along the wall, along the turned-off stove, along the window, when something catches my eye. It's the same chair that tied Eugene up that fateful day. I run my hand along it, then move on to my paintings. They're still some of my best dreams. Before I can stop myself, a familiar verse came out of my mouth.

"_I'll paint the walls some more, I'm sure there's room somewhere." _The next verse is hushed, and it hurts to say it.

"_And then I'll brush, and brush…and brush and brush my hair…" _my hand slides up to grasp my short brown locks. I can barely continue.

"_Stuck in the same place I've always been…and I'll keep wonderin'…when will my life…begin?" _A single tear escapes from my eye. No. I can't cry or I'll turn soft. Just then, a voice speaks to me, and it makes my knees go weak. It's a voice I thought-hoped-I would never hear again.

"Hello, dear!"

**I know it's short, but again, if it was any longer it would been about three times as long!Working on Chapter 14, and I have to change the rating to T now, just for some mild violence.**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N HAHAHAHAHA! The reviews on the last chapter were AWESOME! So without further ado, here's Chapter 14 ;) and expect some Little Mermaid fics later, and some Tangled one-shots :D -Liz**

**P.S Now that I am OUT of school, I will be working more. Which means…I can be a beta reader! Go look at my beta profile :P**

The voice behind sends a chill through my spine. I turn around slowly and face the voice. And, just like she was the day she murdered Flynn Rider, she smirks at me, a deathly smile on her face.

"Hello, Gothel." I say, as threateningly as I can. Which must not be very threatening, because Gothel smiles and walks in a circle around me.

"So. _Princess _Rapunzel. How's the royal life treating you?" I ignore the question, folding my arms.

"How'd you get out of dying? Lucky strike?" Gothel laughs.

"Not, not luck, magic! It seemed that one last drop of the magic came through my body, and it revived me! Nice for you and Princey, huh?" she says as innocently as a woman like her can be(which is actually creepily innocent…) I have a hard time deciding what to say next, but I get something out.

"What…what do you want from me?" I'm almost afraid she'll say 'Eugene'. But there's almost no chance of it. Gothel laughs, this time more evilly.

"Oh, nothing really." I can't really reply to that, but I don't have to. Another shape emerges from the shadows, and the first thing I notice is his icy blue eyes-and the knife he's holding across his chest, ready to murder someone. I gasp.

"Nathan?"

Nathan grins and puts one hand on his hip, his blood-red cape shifting. Gosh, he looks freaking _evil. _Before I can react, he slips the knife from his chest and throws his arm out, making the point of the knife inches away from my throat. I don't dare move.

"Hello, princess."


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N I know Gothel said the LAST of the magic, but can we say that it's not?I need it to be that way for you all! -Liz**

I gulp, but don't dare move more.

"Nathan?" I can barely whisper his name. "How...how did you..." Nathan smirks.

"Struck a deal with your mother here." Nathan nods to Gothel, but his knife never retracts.

"What...what deal?" Nathan brings back the knife-but only slightly.

"Immortality comes with a price." Nathan says with a glint in his eyes.I gasp.

"So, when you came to court me-"

"That's right.I played the part quite well, didn't I?" He says smugly.I scowl.

"You're a monster, Nathan."

Suddenly, I hear the sounds of boots hitting the floor and a sword leaving it's holder. Suddenly, _Nathan's _at the tip of a knife.

"Release her!"

**I know it's short. I have an excuse! Working on this ASAP.**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N I have motivation to write this! Well, I have motivation every time, but this time, it's special xD enjoy this! If it gets evil, it's not my fault, there's creepy thunder and wind outside. This scene was sort-of inspired by the darker scenes in **_**Little Mermaid, **_**which I can't stop watching. -Liz**

"_You!_" Gothel snaps, her cloak snapping as she whirls around to face Eugene.

"Release her or _I swear I'll kill you!_" my best friend tightens his grip on his sword, his amber eyes glittering with hatred.

"Never! You had your chance, brother. You _had _your chance for the girl!" Nathan laughs madly, and lightning cracks outside, illuminating his face. As if to make a point, Gothel grabs my arms, and pins me to the wall. I scream, and she laughs. "It's either her or you, lovey-boy. Your choice." she smiles, totally out of her mind. Eugene snarls and lunges himself at Gothel, abandoning Nathan. He slashes her with his sword, expecting a gash, but the cut never comes. It's like her skin is…charmed. Eugene gasps. I widen my eyes.

"How did you…what just happened?" my voice rises until I'm yelling. Gothel smiles.

"It's a secret, sweetcakes. Now, either you bow down to me, or I kill your precious prince." Nathan, now free, tosses his knife to the woman, and she suddenly puts the knife at his throat. Gosh, do they think that solves everything?

"Rapunzel, no! Don't do it. She's a monster!" Eugene yells, glaring at my former mother. She simply laughs and twirls the knife slightly in her fingers, making it circle menacingly.

"No, I'm quite nice. Just looking for a good deal, really!" Gothel laughs innocently, then looks at me.

"Make your choice. Bow down or lose him."


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N Not much to say except THANKS FOR ALL THE LOVELY REVIEWS! It's so funny, people hate cliffhangers xD they're fun to give out as presents…but I don't want one for my birthday(sheep, that's pointed at you! :D)LOL. Read on! -Liz**

"What's it gonna be? I haven't got all day!" Gothel snaps at me, putting her hand on her hip. Nathan grabs Eugene's hands and holds them behind his back, smirking. Gothel grabs her knife and points it at Eugene's throat-again. Gosh, she does that a lot. _What should I do? _I look at Eugene with the expression clear on my face. Eugene gives me a shrug. I sigh, then put my own hands behind my back.

"You can take me, Gothel. Just _don't touch Eugene._" I say, my voice getting stronger. Gothel cracks a smile and removes the knife.

"Well, how nice of you to join me, deary! I know you'll enjoy our _special _hiding place!" Gothel shackles me and starts to lead me towards the bottom of the tower, ruthlessly tugging me towards my death. Eugene struggles against Nathan's death grip, his boots sliding this way and that.

"Gothel, you can't do this! It's inhumane! It's _insane!_" He yells, trying-to no avail-to escape the spy's grasp. Gothel laughs heartily.

"Oh, my _dear _boy, I very well can and_ will _do this! Ta-ta for now, boys!" Gothel tosses over her shoulder, taking me down even deeper. I willingly go with her without a word, because I know that Eugene's safe. We're almost down when Gothel murmurs in my ear,

"Now, my darling, give me some of those tears." I shake my head, confused. _Tears?_ Oh…

I'm thinking this over when I hear a huge _CRRRAAASSSHHH _and someone scream,

"ALRIGHT, HAND OVER THE PRINCESS!" I sigh in relief, then, before Gothel can stop me, I yell, "Boys, we're down here!" and hear a reply that makes me laugh out loud.

"Oh, woman, you are gonna be havin' some _dreams!_"

**Oh my gosh…who could it be? o.o reviews get a hug! And don't forget to read my new fic, a Little Mermaid/Tangled crossover, **_**Better Than Revenge.**_** And be a Seddie fan. Bye!**


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N Hello, my lovely readers! Guess who's been at work writing? Moi! Guess whose birthday is in like, 2 weeks? MOI! Special fics are totally allowed xD without further talk, here is the much-anticipated Chapter 18! This story will probably be incredibly long, with the chapter lengths and all. And I might be doing a sequel…it all depends on the views and reviews for this and Better Than Revenge. I've got a request for you fantastic artists out there…would anyone be willing to do fanart for this story? It would make my day THAT much brighter to see fanart for it. Pick a moment, any moment, and draw, paint, color, sketch, whatever! -Liz**

My heart skips a beat as I hear my friends crash through the tower. Gothel comes out of her pure shock quickly, but not quickly enough. The pub thugs race down the steps, torches in hand, and pin Gothel down. The old woman struggles to free herself, and I'm standing there in awe.

"Go, girl, _go!_" Hookhand jolts me out of my own shock and shoos me up the stairs, where I grab Eugene's hand and run to Max. We hastily mount and race towards the kingdom. Above me, thunder crashes and lightning flashes. Rain pelts my face with stinging force. Branches scrape my skin. Eugene wraps his arms around me protectively and calls to Max, "C'mon, buddy, not much farther! Faster!" the white horse breezes forward, crossing the bridge and skidding to a stop in front of the castle. Eugene jumps off and helps me, and we run in, our feet pounding on the floor. We throw open the castle doors. The guards snap their heads toward us. My parents, on the other side of the room, whirl around to face us. Simultaneously, Eugene and I both start our explanations.

"Max took me to my tower, and Gothel was there, and it turns out Nathan was a spy, and they tried to kidnap me and then the thugs rescued us, then we ran here on Max, and now here we are."

"Rapunzel disappeared, so I went to the tower and saw Gothel, so I snuck in and his until the time was right, then I burst in and saved the day." We finish at the exact same time and turn to each other and give surprised looks. My mother tentatively walks toward us, a terrified expression on her face. She brushes some hair out of my face and looks me in the eye.

"Dear, I love you so very much, but _what's _this about Gothel?" she seems afraid to ask. I grasp Eugene's hand and hold it tightly.

"Well, um…heh heh…Gothel's back, and so is the flower."

**o.o whatever shall happen next? Guess you'll have to wait and see. This is long overdue…but I don't own Tangled. However, I do own a regular DVD, a Rapunzel doll, two storybooks, a coloring book, and soon-to-be the Art Of Tangled book and the Blu-Ray DVD. That's about it. Bai bai! -Liz**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N Hey everyone! So sorry for the delayed update, but I simply had no inspiration whatsoever. But, thanks to BbBeeDeviantArtist, I've got some ideas flowing. Enjoy!**

My parents are still taking the news in when the doors behind us crash open. The pub thugs rush in, holding back my fake mother. Eugene glares and puts his hand on his sword. I grasp his shoulder while my father walks forward with his hand on his sword as well. He comes face-to-face with the woman I used to call my mother. He looks her over before turning to the guards.

"Take her to the prison." The guards nod their heads and shackle the woman. She struggles hopelessly, screaming excuses.

"You don't understand-I didn't-wait, this is all a mistake-_waaaaiiittt!_" Eugene waves at her, a fake smile on his face.

"Bye bye now, come back _never_!" he calls to Gothel. He turns around and wraps his strong arms around me. I drink in his sweet scent, glad to say he's not dead. I suddenly remember that the thugs are here. I turn around and run to my friends.

"How did you guys know I was trapped?" I ask. They all point to Eugene. I turn around to see that he's giving the guys a death glare.

"How did _you _know I was trapped, then?" I say, folding my arms. Eugene throws on the charm.

"Hey, great minds think alike," he says with a grin.

"Seriously! What made you go after me?" Eugene takes a deep breath.

"Well…um…after you disappeared, I asked the Head Guard if he saw you run out. He said he did, and that you were headed towards the tower. So of course I had to come rescue you." I can't help but feel kinda loved at that point. But I cover it up for a minute.

"Well, thanks guys, but you'd better head back to the pub. There's a really good chance we haven't seen the last of Gothel." the thugs look doubtful, but they turn around and gallop away on their horses. I bow my head to my parents, grab Eugene's hand, and run out of the room. Once we're in my bedroom, I shut the door and turn to him. He knows exactly what I'm about to say, and he knows I' m not happy about it.

"What was that bit about being Nathan's brother? And why did _he _grow up royalty and _you _grow up a thief?" Eugene can't get out of this one. I fold my arms, waiting for an explanation.

"Who are you? Tell me the truth."


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N Hey everyone! Not much to say, really…but thanks for the amazing, fabulous reviews! People have been saying the NICEST things to me about this story-it makes me feel so special! Keep reading, it only gets better from here ;) and my birthday is the 5****th****, and I still would LOVE art for this story, so if you want to give me some…please? I know we have some Deviants around here, so don't be shy!**

I put my hand on my hip and give Eugene a hard stare, but he doesn't flinch.

"What do you mean, 'who am I?' I'm Eugene, obviously." He says with a bit of a spark to it. I scoff.

"Oh, really now? Then I'd _love _to hear about how Nathan grew up a _prince_, and you grew up an _orphan._" I smirk, and quickly regret it. Eugene's amber eyes fill with pain, and he leans against the wall, closing his eyes.

"It was the day before my sixth birthday. I was playing hide-and-seek with Nathan. I opened my eyes to find him…and he was gone. I searched and searched, but I could never find him." he says, pausing for a moment, then continuing. "The orphanage mother said that Nathan was gone…that someone had adopted him…I never expected that it was the King and Queen of Inediro." he finishes softly. Wow. I don't think I've ever seen Eugene open up like that, aside from that night beside the campfire. I brush some hair from his face and gently hold him. I make him look at me.

"Hey. You know, I like poor orphan Eugene _much _better than Flynn Rider, _or _Prince Nathan." Eugene smiles ever-so-slightly, and his eyes lighten.

"You think so?" he says softly. I grin.

"Trust me. I _know_ so."

**A/N It's ridiculously short! But I was hitting myself trying to think of ideas, and I knew I needed to update, so I thought I'd just give you a bit of backstory fluffiness. OH! And we've hit a milestone with this story. TWENTY CHAPTERS! Gosh, I can't believe we've come this far! Keep the reviews coming and see if we can get 100 ;)**


	21. Author's Note

**Hey guys! I am very sorry to say that this chapter is just me talking, and no action. But I NEED TO SAY THESE THINGS OR I'LL DIE. So please just grit your teeth through my aimless rambling and try to see through it. Mkay? Oh, and Chapter Song is 'Bless the Broken Road' by Rascal Flatts. *gets inspiration for another story* o.o**

**So you know how I haven't updated in like, two months? About that…I've had no inspiration **_**whatsoever**_**. It may be the fact that I'm moving on from this story, or it may be that I haven't sat down with my best friends and just brainstormed like I did last year…but then again, **_**so **_**much has changed since then. I know you guys are wanting more, but I just don't know **_**how **_**to give you more. And believe me- I could if I would, truly. But that doesn't go to say that I do not **_**love **_**every single review, and Favorite e-mail, and Follow e-mail that enters my inbox. I've had some pretty bad days in the last few months or so, and reviews make them unbelievably better. And while I love **_**every single one **_**of my readers, sunnyprincessbird and EugeneLoverRapunzel and sheep1215 and Nicole Billings were among the best fan girls a writer could possibly have. They read every single chapter and reviewed it with both perfect fan girl-ism and grace. They offered me advice when I needed it and helped me become the Liz McCallus I am today. Thank you a million times for sticking by this girl's side when she needed it. **

**But that does **_**not **_**go to say that every reader I have and will ever have holds a very special place in my heart. Ever since that fateful, cloudy day in March, I have been a different person thanks to a bunch of words I jotted down in the middle of Language Arts class. **

**Second order of business-Hiatus Mode. Yes, that dreaded six-letter word all writers hate to say. But I am completely ashamed to say that JAD is going on Hiatus mode, maybe permanently. Until I can either find a way to fill all my stupid plot holes or get out more, I just can't make you guys suffer through useless sentences. As the Chapter song says 'I got lost a time or two, wiped my brow and kept pushin' through'. And I truly tried. It's hard for me to be typing this-believe me, it is. And the fact that I barely recognize my school life right now makes it worse- nothing, except for teachers, is the same as last year. But my friends are making it better-I played 'Can Can' several(probably 20)times yesterday with one of my best guy friends and one of my best friends in the world-and we laughed and goofed off for the first time since school started. And I thank them for that.**

**Anyway, I felt the need to tell you guys I love you and that I'm so, **_**so **_**sorry for not updating. But to make it up to you, I've got a bunch of ideas in my fancy little journal, I just need to fully elaborate on them! They're surprises, so don't ash :P**

**What else, what else…oh, fanart! I feel unbelievably guilty for asking this, but getting fanart would be the best gift EVER. Really, it would be. I Haven't gotten any yet and tried contacting burdge-bug on dA, but she never answered me. Andells(my second fave) is currently busy, and the one person who wasn't said exactly this:**

**its nice,but its like only one paragraph? **

**And I'm telling you, that broke my heart in half and shattered it. I KNOW IT'S SHORT! That's the whole point of the story-short and sweet and cliff-hanger-ey. That's the best part of it! That one comment totally broke my heart…so guys, please be aware that your words **_**can and will **_**hurt people!**

**I think that about sums it up, for now. Reviews(even for this crappy chapter)are greatly loved, if you've got advice or words of wisdom, or anything really-pleasepleasePLEASE put a review in. I think I've got one person doing fan art(but it'll take a while), so I'll let you guys in on that later. This song I felt applied nicely to this situation, and remember: **_**I love you guys **_**with every single cell in my body…you guys are my new dreams. CORNNYYYYY!**

.com/watch?v=gBeWMz0yZyQ&feature=related

**If that doesn't work, add 'you tube. com' on to the beginning of the URL. Bye for now, and see you soon. *blows kiss***

**-Liz**


	22. Chapter 22

You know that romantic moment I just had with the love of my life?

Yeah, it was quickly ruined. Because at that moment, the guards throw open the doors for even _more _guards, holding back a fiercely fighting Nathan. Eugene immediately tenses up and tries to step forward and hold him back.

"Easy, easy. Let's see if we can get him to talk." I step forward and motion for the guards not to go any further. Nathan's still mildly struggling and eyeing me furiously.

"What is it, Princess of Disaster?" he says through clenched teeth. I simply shrug it off and fold my arms, looking as deadly as I can.

"You know what, Fitzherbert. How'd you hook up with Gothel." I ask, plain and simple. Nathan clenches his teeth and refuses to talk. Oh, this should be good. I smile evilly and motion for the guards to step away. I walk in a circle around Nathan(who is probably still holding a knife, mind you) while Eugene looks on quite nervously.

"Nathan, let me tell you the truth. I may be a fair Princess, but I can and _will _send you to the gallows unless you tell me. Guards." they immediately surround Nathan again. I lean in close, my face inches away from Nathan's. His ice-blue eyes are both unafraid and terrified of me.

"Now tell me. _Where did you meet Gothel_." I whisper the last part, and Nathan gulps, closing his eyes painfully.

"She…she came to me while I was riding through the forest. She said she knew I was and had a deal for me. She told me that if I pretended to court you and somehow get my brother out of the picture, she'd reward me well." Eugene's no doubt clenching his fists in anger. Frankly? I can't blame him. But still, I keep my game face on.

"Thank you for telling us Nathan. Guards, take him to the prison." they immediately obey my order and drag the angry Prince into the depths of the dungeons.

**A/N AGH. I was writing this with huge inspiration, and then…my dad told me to get off. I WAS SO CLOSE! But I dragged out the end of the chapter, and stopped when I felt like it was a good enough cliffhanger. But at least I WROTE IT!**


	23. Noteagain

**A/N Hey, guys! This is another author's note chapter. SO! I know there are grammatical and plot errors all over the place. So I am not going to stop writing this, but **_**re-write **_**it. I'll pull up a new story under the same title, and will be working hard to fix the problems I've developed. The storyline may turn out different, chapters may have different courses of events, but this is going to make me a better writer and show myself how I've improved from March. So this story will be continued! Under the same name and everything. Sound good? Okay! The first chapter **_**should **_**be out this weekend, unless I get caught up in homework. And there **_**may **_**be a new story out sometime in the near future…hint hint. So that's all for now, be looking out for a the re-write and new story ;) until then, my friends!**


End file.
